In Turkey, there are many places attractive from a tourist point of view and among the leaders every year is Cappadocia. One of the symbols is a colorful balloon festival, the second is the Gereme National Park.
The uniqueness of the city of Gereme
Everyone who comes here for the first time is mesmerized by the unusual landscape. It was formed naturally, during the eruption of several volcanoes in the distant past. Lava flowed down into the valley, deposited ash and formed bizarre shapes that were later polished off by rain and wind. People have also had a hand in turning Gereme into an amazing open-air museum.
Almost 400 temples fit into a small area. Among the monastic complexes the most famous are Sakli, Elmali, Yilanli, and Tokali. Some of them are perfectly preserved. Some, such as El Nazar, are in a dilapidated state. In the vicinity of the city, many rock formations have been adapted by the inhabitants as living quarters and outbuildings, with the outer part almost unchanged.
The natural and man-made attraction occupies about 9,572 hectares. Early Christian churches are very compact, hollowed out in tufa rock, which has unique properties. Despite the heat and impressive temperature variations outside, an even dry coolness is kept inside, thanks to which the paintings have remained almost in pristine condition, and some of them were made as early as the second half of the 11th century.
Biblical and evangelical subjects are executed in a technique reminiscent of Byzantine, only in a simpler key. Many of the images have inscriptions where the words are Greek but written in Cyrillic. Göreme National Park in Turkey, located in Cappadocia, is recognized as a national monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Noted the uniqueness of multi-level rock settlements, perfectly preserved paintings and decoration of rock temples and monastic complexes, unique natural landscapes.
It is simply impossible to walk around such an impressive area in one day without missing something. People come here for 2-3 day excursions. And if there is demand, there will certainly be a supply, so the main square of the town turned into a kind of launching pad, where many routes in the unique park begin. Around working numerous restaurants, small comfortable hotels, souvenir shops.
For lovers of extraordinary experiences are open mini-hotels in the rocks.
Attractions in the Goreme National Park
The area includes several valleys:
- Pigeon;
- Pink;
- Red;
- Meskendir.
Cave settlements are also considered to be sights of the park. They appeared around the 2nd century AD. A century later, they were almost cities with a population of persecuted Christians. The rooms were connected with each other by inner tunnels, which in case of danger were closed by jar doors. By the 4th century the area had become a spiritual center.
The second time the rock cities sheltered the persecuted in the 8th-9th centuries. The frescoes adorning the inner rooms date from about the same time. Some of the paintings have been damaged and are being restored. For ease of movement between tiers there are stairs and pointers.
Tourist guides recommend sightseeing, building the route counterclockwise.
The most visited sites are the Chapel of St. John the Baptist. The Church of St. Basil, the Church of the Apples, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Church of the Holy Trinity. The St. Barbara’s, the St. Barbara’s, the St. Barbara’s, and the St. Barbara’s. Catherine, Snake.
A separate excursion is offered to the Dark Church. Its uniqueness is in the almost total absence of natural light, which allowed to preserve the paintings in their original form. The sunlight comes in through a small window. The murals represent scenes from the Holy Scriptures and the faces of the apostles. There is a separate fee for visiting the church, which is not included in the price of the general ticket.
No less valuable are the natural formations of Gereme National Park in Cappadocia. They are so bizarre that it is hard to believe that man has not even touched the fantastic figures, bizarre silhouettes of birds or unusual animals, which were formed only under the influence of natural factors.
How to get to Göreme Park?
The greatest influx of visitors is observed in the high season. But even at this time you can find an opportunity to safely explore some of the sights if you devote to them in the morning hours, especially since the ticket office at 8:00 is already open.
You can get to Cappadocia National Park by bus, shuttle buses, rented cars and sightseeing groups. From the city is not far, about 1.5 km.
From Ankara and Istanbul most often go to the administrative center, located in Nevshehir, where local flights depart constantly with a stop in Göreme. For those who prefer to travel by rented car, you just need to pay close attention to the signs on the road, keeping the direction to Nevshehir.
